Letters of application
This is a special type of formal letter used in a special situation. This form of written communication can be of the utmost importance and it is therefore necessary to spend time in preparing such a letter. The letter itself is namely a middle phase in the whole process of applying for a job.
There are five stages in the process of application:
Mental preparation is the essential starting point for this whole process of application. You must learn to use 'The Art of Positive Thinking'. You have had a good professional training and have gained a very worthwhile diploma or degree in Technology. You are somebody worth employing! If you believe yourself to be capable of successfully filling a position in a company, you are halfway to convincing others that this is so!
Analysis of advertisements is the second phase in preparing to write a letter of application. It is important to learn as much as you can about the position offered, before you consider your own suitability for the job. Analyse an advertisement by finding information to answer the following questions:
la What sort of people are they asking for?
- age, qualifications, experience.
b Who is offering the job?
- a personnel agency for an unknown company,
- the personnel department of a specified firm.
2 What type of work exactly is being offered? Where?
- work situation in a group,
- working alone.
3 What information is given about extra benefits?
- holidays or paid leave if the
- medical insurance,
- pension scheme,
- help with removal costs and housing (relocation),
- salary scale and bonus or '13th' month payment,
- promotion possibilities.
4 What do you still not understand? (Use a dictionary for the abbreviations or consult other adverts.)
5a What more information do you need before you apply?
b What information would you ask for at an interview?
Some abbreviations and phrases explained
C.V. Curriculum vitae or a brief account of
one's life.
Fringe benefits extra help or advantages, see point 3.
Single or Bachelor Status usually in a position offered abroad
where accommodation is provided and
travelling expenses paid for the
employee only. If he is married, he
would have to go alone (for a trial
period, or because the situation is
unsuitable for families).
HNC (Higher National Certificate) Ordinary grade of Advanced Technology
HND (Higher National Diploma) Higher grade of Advanced Technology
ONC (Ordinary National Certificate) Ordinary grade of Lower level
Technology
OND (Ordinary National Diploma) Higher grade of Lower level Technology
B.Eng. Bachelor of Engineering, a British
degree.
This is given after a three year theory
course at a University or a
Polytechnic.
A 'Continental' Higher Technology
Training is usually a four year course
including one year of Industrial
Experience. This is certainly
comparable with a B.Eng.; the
Industrial Experience makes it even
preferable.
Direct letters of application
This type of letter is not written as a reaction to an advertisement, but on the initiative of the writer himself. It can be written to an organisation which you think may have suitable employment for you.
Keep the letter short but explain clearly why you are writing. More information can be sent later if the company is interested in employing you.
On the previous page an example is given of a direct letter of application. This time the pattern chosen is with an indented paragraph layout and the closure on the lower right-hand side.
Kon. Beatrixweg 6
5622 CH Eindhoven
The Netherlands
26 June 19xx
The Personnel Manager
AZ Cement Company
Greenwich Road
Greenwich G12 7LM
ENGINEERING EMPLOYMENT
Dear Sir,
I shall soon qualify as a Civil Engineer specialised in Hydraulic Engineering and I should like you to consider me for a position in your company.
During my industrial traineeships, I had six months' valuable experience working in the concrete laboratories connected with the Eastern Scheldt Sea Barrage Project. I also worked on a concrete darn project in British Guyana.
From articles and from former fellow students who have worked for you, I have learned that your company is concerned with similar projects in England and overseas.
The scale and scope of your work interests me very much and I should like to gain more experience in working overseas. This is why I feel I would fit in well in your company.
If you have a suitable vacancy, I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
The arrangement of the information you wish to give is the third consideration in preparing to write a letter of application. You must try to make quite clear, in convincing terms WHY you want this particular job and WHAT you have to offer the company. The visual arrangement and the tone of the letter must be considered in combination with the situation.
Tone
This should be as positive as possible. Any traineeships in the course of your training were specially included to give you an initial introduction to the practical application of your knowledge. You have some idea of working conditions and you have experienced how well you function in small or large groups. You have also found out probably, whether you enjoy responsibility or prefer to be told what to do by others. Use positive aspects of your experience to make your letter convincing. Use negative aspects of your experience to help you decide in what situation you function less effectively. Avoid these!
Situation
There are two possible situations in which a letter of application can be sent:
- as reaction to an advertisement
- as direct letter informing a company of the writer's qualifications and qualities, and requesting to be considered for suitable work if any is available.
Visual Arrangement
In both situations the letter should consist of four parts divided into paragraphs:
Curriculum vitae (C.V.)/Résumé
Besides the actual letter of application, it is useful to arrange factual information on a separate sheet. A curriculum vitae is a brief account of one's life. Another name for this is Personal Record.
You should mention in your letter that you are including a curriculum vitae separately.
This should be written as a list and filled in as if it were a form. Look at the example given.
Useful expressions for introducing such letters:
- I should very much like to apply for the post of .. which I saw advertised in 'The ...' (date).
- I wish to be considered for the post of... which I saw
- I am interested in the post of... which you advertised in...
- With reference to your advertisement in 'The...' on..., I should like to apply for the ~ post of...
Useful expressions for concluding such letters:
- I should appreciate the opportunity to discuss this application with you at an interview:
- I should welcome an interview at any time.
- I am available for an interview at any time except between 1 June and 1 July (examination period).
- I would be able to start work from 1 July 19xx.
Use some of the following ideas on which to base suitable questions for use at an interview:
The employer
Character background, talents, qualities,
qualities of leadership, creativity, initiative, reliability,
flexibility,
ability to work accurately to specific instructions,
ability and preference to work alone or in a team.
Ambition ability to identify with the firm and its products,
Motivation desire for a top position or to do routine work,
Expectation plans to stay long with the company or to move after a period
of approximately five years for promotion purposes,
special interest in the position offered,
willingness to follow special training courses,
willingness to travel for the firm/company.
Hobbies interests: cultural, creative, sportive, in team or organised
group, or individual activity.
The Applicant
Actual what qualities are required,
Work group or individual responsibility, to whom?
Situation trial period of work - length and evaluation method,
decisions expected from one in the first year,
work load and promotion chances,
job security - reason for this vacancy.
Hours of work flexible hours, shift work, days per week, holidays: fixed or
variable.
Fringe benefits travelling expenses, medical scheme, pension scheme,
help with housing and removal costs.
Extra training courses within the company, or time given in working hours to
follow external courses.
Sample Letter of Application
Name
Street
Town
Country
Telephone number (here: prefix numbers from US to Germany 011-49-63 1xxx or equivalent)
Mr. Joseph S. Miller (or: Personnel Department if you do not have a contacting person)
Director, Human Resources Offices
United Technologies Research Center
Silver Lane
East Hartford, Connecticut 06108
14 January 1995 (or: January 14 1995)
Application for an employment as an electrical engineer with your company
Dear Mr. Miller (or: Ladies and Gentlemen if you don't know anybody in the company)
I will have completed my Diplom (equiv. to Master's degree) at Zornheim University (or:
the University of Zornheim) in the field of electrical engineering by next June. I learnt that your company has plants and service offices in the US and many other foreign countries with a broad range of products. After you review my qualifications, I hope that you may have a need for me in one of your operating divisions in the area of semiconductor and controls technology. As the enclosed résumé' explains, my education and practical training with industry here in Germany has prepared me technically for such a position.
My willingness to work hard, my ability to learn quickly, and my eagerness to benefit from working in a team are some of the qualities I can offer to an employer. I understand that high productivity is one important key to achieving goals on a competitive market. I can offer both high productivity and careful attention to detail.
I am enthusiastic about a job opportunity with your company because of its commitment to technology development for its products, and I feel that if given the chance to work with you, I could further-develop my skills and personality for the sake of your company.
I would appreciate your further consideration and will make myself available for an interview any time at your convenience.
Sincerely yours,
Signature
Encl.
Sample letter of application
Present Address: Home Address:
Germany Germany
phone: phone:
To Whom it May Concern 31 July 1995
Dear Madam, dear Sir,
I am a student of business-orientated computer science at the Fachhochschule (four years engineering college) since October 1990. According to the schedule of studies I am required to work with a company for six months during the sixth semester (beginning December 1995). I am very interested in spending this practical training period abroad in order to get to know the customs, operation methods, and business techniques of companies in other countries.
After graduation from a Higher Business College in June 1988 I completed a two year apprenticeship as a data processing commercial clerk. This apprenticeship concentrated on programming in COBOL and organization/work flow in the computer centre. After this I worked as a data processing commercial clerk in the data processing production/computer centre department until July 1991. I was responsible for servicing hardware and operating systems, programming Job Control Language (JCL), and operations scheduling. All occupations were performed on BULL systems DPS-7/DPS-6 with the operating system GCOS. While serving in the German Army (military service) I decided to graduate from High School (Fachhochschulreife) and major in business-orientated computer science to extend my knowledge.
I intend to spend my practical training period abroad to get international business experience as soon as possible. I am also very interested in getting to know a foreign country with its people and culture. I would like to take this chance to improve my knowledge of languages. Therefore I have attended the additional major "General English" since the beginning of my major. Gaining knowledge of languages linked with a computer-orientated occupation will be an invaluable preparation and asset to my postgraduate career.
In my practical training period I would like to improve my practical knowledge of data processing by working both independently and in a team. Beside co-operation in a software project I am also interested in data bases, networks and system analysis.
I feel that this professional and cultural exchange would be an enriching experience both for me and for your company.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Sample Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Name Henry Miller
Address Hauptstraße 6
Town 67663 Zornheim/Germany
Date of Birth 20 May 1967 or: May 20 1967
Nationality German
Marital Status Single or: Married
Education Studies of Electrical Engineering at the
1989-to present University of Zornheim
June 1995 Graduation with concentration on electronic
signals and communications
Title of "Diplomarbeit" (equiv. to Master of
Science Thesis): "Investigation of the Use of
Virtual Reality Systems for Radiography"
(grade: 1.9 - 1.0 highest on 4-pt. scale)
Summer 1987 Graduation (AE) or A-levels (BE) at
Burggymnasium KL (college preparatory school)
or "Abitur" or graduation at grammar school
(BE)
Practical Training Project work with Siemens AG, München
July-Sept. 1994 Title: "Development of Applications Software
for Microchip Design"
Work Experience:
Sept. 1988-Apr. 1989 Internship with Robert Bosch GmbH,
Waiblingen, Germany
Translation of VLSI CAD systems from IBM to
UNIX operating system; integration of SLSI
CAD
systems and development of interface software
in
"C"; use of CAD tools for simulation of VLSI
Relevant Skills English (advanced level, technical English)
French (basic)
Computer programming: Assembler, "C", Pascal
Applications: MS-Word, Excel, Project,
MathCAD,
CADES-G
Military Service
Oct. 1987 - Oct. 1989 Military Service
Other Activities: Leader of Red Cross group
Mathematics tutor
Hobbies: Bicycling, music, travelling
References: Prof. Mayer, University of KL
Dr. Müller, Siemens AG
Mr. Schmitt, Bosch
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